Multiple system operators (MSOs), such as cable companies, typically provide content data to many subscribers. For example, MSOs typically provide video/audio, in the form of movies or television content, to subscribers via a digital communication network. Similarly, MSOs also provide audio only, such as piped music, to subscribers via such digital communication network. Other content data provided by MSOs to subscribers include internet data (e.g., HTML documents, email, and other internet data), emergency and alert information originating from local or national government agencies, and other types of data.
As mentioned above, MSOs typically use a digital communication network to provide content data to subscribers via a forward channel, and also receive control and other data from subscribers via a reverse channel. For example, the control and other data sent from subscribers to MSOs typically include orders for particular content, such as a movie, internet data, such as a request (e.g., URL) for a particular HTML document, or an email destined for a particular recipient. In the past, MSOs have employed hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) type digital communication network to facilitate the communication of data between MSOs and subscribers.
A typical HFC digital communication network consists of a head-end, one or more hubs coupled to the head end, and a plurality of taps coupled to each of the one or more hubs. The head-end provides the source of the content data for subscribers, and also receives and processes the control and other data from subscribers. The head-end is communicatively coupled to each hub by way of an optical fiber network, where data is communicated between the head-end and the hubs in the optical domain. Each hub serves as a node for routing content data to subscribers within a defined geographical area, and routing control and other data from such subscribers to the head-end. Each hub is coupled to a plurality of taps by way of an electrical network, where data is communicated between the hub and the taps in the electrical domain, such as by radio frequency (RF) signals. Each subscriber unit within the geographical area is coupled to one of the plurality of taps via an electrical connection.
An HFC digital communication network has several drawbacks. First, the electrical communication network between the hubs and the subscribers has limited bandwidth. Thus, as a result, the number of subscribers that can be serviced by a single hub is relatively limited. Additionally, the limited bandwidth further limits the amount of content channels available for subscribers in the forward direction, as well as the upload capability for subscribers in the reverse direction. Moreover, the power required to operate the electrical communication network is relatively large, and thus, expensive to operate for MSOs.